Pages

Social Items

Menu Items

Lemon is one of the foods that has long been used in alternative medicine given as it contains active ingredients works to treat many different pathological situations, and when it comes to weight loss, the lemon is one of the best ingredients that have the ability to burn fat and purify the liver from toxins, which helps to improve metabolism, the process of the body's metabolism and weight loss.

Lemon diet helps you lose weight in a week, and lemon has amazing effects on weight loss, so if you want to increase thevitalityand the elimination oftoxins and get rid of excess weight you should follow upreading this article. All it takes is seven dayson a diet of lemon to cleanse the body, rechargeyour batteriesand reducewaistline.

Vitamin C found in lemon works to strengthen the immune system, stimulate the production of collagen, which gives skin freshness even with follow diets.

The best ways to use lemon to lose weight quickly ...

Lemon detox diet

Lemon detox diet per day is one of the strongest diets to lose weight rapidly as it works to purify the liver of toxins, and the Vitamin C high proportion of work on breaking down unsaturated fat and eliminate cholesterol.

Add the lemon and half a teaspoon of red pepper powder juice to a liter of water and eat a cup of this mixture once a day throughout the day. It is recommended more frequent eating fresh fruit, salad and water. And you can keep the rest of the detox drink in the fridge with a cup a day without a specific diet.

Lemon on an empty stomach

Morning is the best time to eat a lemon on an empty stomach This method helps to lose weight effectively and purify the body of toxins and fat burning.

The honey and lemon is the perfect combination to give you the energy that you need throughout the day with the revitalization of the metabolism and burn calories.

Add a teaspoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon to a cup of warm water with stirring, and eat the mixture every morning on an empty stomach. (Cinnamon and Honey For Weight Los)

Green tea and lemon ideal drink to lose weight

Green tea is one of the natural ingredients that holds a treasure trove of health benefits on top of their ability to get rid of excess fat, and drink green tea with lemon drinks that help control blood sugar levels, reduce the level of cholesterol, and burn excess fat.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder to a cup of boiled green tea and drink it twice a day to lose weight quickly.

Many people are looking for ways and effective solutions to lose weight and get the ideal weight, if you are among those people your magic recipe will be on hand, as of today.

Cinnamon and honey for weight loss.

The recipe is as follows:

Recipe Ingredients:

8oz of hot water (250 ml).

A teaspoon of cinnamon powder.

2 tablespoons of natural honey.

Instructions:

Boil water, add the cinnamon powder.

Remove the pan from the fire. let it cool down.

Add a teaspoon of honey.

Consume one half an hour before breakfast and the second half an hour before going to sleep at night.

This mixture of cinnamon powder and honey stops the body from accumulating fat.

Honey is an antioxidant and does all kinds of good things for the body.

Cinnamon may influence blood sugar and the way it's processed, giving your body a better chance to break it down in such a way that it doesn't turn to fat. Some proponents of this diet claim that abdominal weight is more sensitive to cinnamon's effects than other body weight.

Don't you wish that you knew how to lose belly fat and were able to finally reach your ideal weight?

Well, after reading this article that is exactly what you will be able to do.

But, before I give you the exact steps how to accomplish this, I would like you to know that this information is based on real life experience. These are the exact same steps that I took to go from weighing 285 pounds to reaching my own ideal body weight of 175 pounds.

This was 15 years ago, and I have been able to maintain this weight using this approach. I am not trying to boast or show off by writing about what I have accomplished. I simply want you to know that this strategy is very effective, especially if you are like me, and were born with a very slow metabolism, have a strong desire to eat delicious, high calorie foods, and hate to use any kind of physical activity.

Here is how to lose belly fat and reach your ideal weight:

1) Decide exactly how much you want to weigh when you reach your ideal body weight, and what body fat percentage you want to have at the end of your weight loss journey. For a man to have a flat stomach his body fat percentage should be around 10%, and for a woman it should be around 15%.

2) Weigh yourself, and measure your body fat percentage using a skinfold caliper. Write these numbers somewhere, so you can keep track of them on a weekly basis. This is one of the secrets of how to lose belly fat and to reach your ideal weight.

3) Calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which is the amount of calories that your body can realistically burn during the day. To do this, make sure you use the Katch-McArdle formula, that takes into account your lean body mass, and multiply it by your activity level. This calculation will allow you to know how many calories you can burn during the day.

4) Choose an effective macronutrient ratio that you will use to calculate the percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fat that you will consume during the day from your meals. To start you can use a anywhere from 50-30-20 to 40-40-20.

5) Take your daily maintenance calorie intake that you calculated in step 3, and multiply it by the percentage of the macronutrients that you have chosen. For example if your TDEE is 2000 calories and you have chosen the 50-30-20 macronutrient ratio, then you will be consuming 1000 calories from carbohydrates, 600 calories from protein, and 400 calories from dietary fat.

Then divide these numbers by 4 for your carbs, by 4 for your protein, and 9 for your dietary fat calories.

In this example you will get 250 grams of carbs, 150 grams of protein, and 44 grams of dietary fat. This will be the exact amount of macronutrients that you should consume from all of your daily meals.

6) Once you have these numbers, your next step will be to choose the amount of meals that you will eat during the day. The optimum amount of meals to consume on a daily basis is four. In this example we would take the numbers in the 5th step and would divide them by four.

This would give us the following numbers for each meal: Carbohydrates 250 calories/62 grams, protein 150 calories/37 grams, and dietary fat 100 calories/11 grams.

7) Your next step should be to eat these four meals every four waking hours. And your first meal should be eaten as soon as possible after waking up. This is how to lose belly fat and reach your ideal weight using an effective nutrition strategy.

And, make sure you drink plenty of water during the day, and avoid drinking too many calories from beverages. If you do drink beverages make sure to count the calories that they contain, and add these to your daily calorie intake.

But, we are not finished. There are a few more important steps toward creating a flat stomach, that you can be proud of!

8) Once you are using an effective nutrition strategy, your next step is to implement an effective exercise strategy. The first part of an effective exercise strategy is cardiovascular training.

Choose a simple aerobic activity like walking, and start doing it at least four times per week. This can be done outside, or inside on a treadmill. The weather and the safety factor has to be take into account, when choosing where you will do this physical activity.

Start with 10 minutes per session, and work your way up, by adding five minutes per week. As, you start to gain some experience you can choose other cardio training exercises, to make sure that your body does not adapt and that it keeps burning as many total calories as possible during every workout.

9) Once you have started to burn unwanted body fat using aerobics, make sure that you start using weight training three times per week to maintain your current muscle mass. This is very important, because it will help you to maintain your muscle and will keep your metabolism elevated during the weight loss phase of your program.

You can start using simple exercises at home in the beginning. Push ups, crunches, shoulder raises, dumbbell extensions behind the head, dumbbell curls, calf raises, etc.

Without using weight training to maintain your muscle it will be very difficult to create irreversible, long term weight loss success. This is especially true for women, who do not really like using this physical activity that much.

10) Keep your eye on your weight loss program on a daily basis. As soon as you stop producing the fat loss results that you are aiming at, this means that the time has come for you to change your approach. And all you have to do is try another nutrition and exercise technique to keep your body burning unwanted body fat and burning as many calories as possible.

This is how to lose belly fat and reach your ideal weight. If you were born with a slow metabolism, you will have to keep doing this for the rest of your life. As soon as you stop the fat will simply creep back on.

The motivation to walk on this path comes from focusing on the vision of your future self, and at the same time focusing on your current reality in relation to this vision!

"Alex Platups is the editor of weight-loss-tips-and-secrets.com the site about creating irreversible, long term weight loss success. If you want to discover the most effective Weight Loss Tips for reaching your ideal weight, then make sure that you visit his site.

You can also read about a 210 page eBook that Alex Platups has written called The Secret To Permanent Fat Loss by clicking on this link http://www.weight-loss-tips-and-secrets.com/secret-to-permanent-fat-loss.html This eBook has the ultimate motivation, nutrition, and exercise strategies that can truly help you to create irreversible, long term weight loss success. These are the exact same strategies that have helped him to lose over 110 pounds in twelve months and have helped him to maintain his ideal weight for almost 15 years.

People are looking for ways on how to get rid of a pimple overnight. Why not? Pimples do have detrimental effects on one's personality. Yes, you read it right; it has psychological effects on people. Aside of course, from its damaging result on the physical look of a person suffering from the skin condition. So making an immediate treatment on a pimple is also a step against the psychological effects it brings to a person's life.

In a study, your pimples can also lead to reduced self-confidence, low self-esteem, and embarrassment. More so, people who have pimples are also prone to negative emotions like anger, depression, and frustration. Those suffering these skin disorder also has poor image of themselves that eventually leads to social withdrawal. Some with severe pimple condition are prone not be employed. All these effects are interrelated which in turn provides a negative impact on a person's emotional state.

Know the Cause and How to Get Rid of a Pimple Overnight More Effectively

Factors that cause pimples are noted to have come from different sources. These causes include the following:

Sebaceous Glands - This gland produce an oil substance which is called sebum. Basically, the oil keeps the skin shiny, moist, and healthy. The oil flows to the skin pores. When the sebaceous gland comes in contact with dirt, the sebum will then block the pores that results to pimple outbreaks. Also, when there is a hormonal imbalance and the sebaceous gland overproduced sebum, pimples are likely to become evident as well.

Hereditary Factors - certain hormones are usually developed genetically. Thus, pimples basically run within a family that can be passed to other generations.

Environmental Factors - overexposure to ultraviolet rays, dirt, sun, pollution, and high dampness results to the obstruction of the tiny pores which allows the pimples to grow.

Regular Diet - taking foods that has fatty substance, oily, spicy, pastries, chocolates, nuts, and sugar causes for an overproduction of sebum that leads to pimples. More so, iodine salts, bromine, and other drugs with these substances are also said to result to pimples.

Stress - is another factor that causes pimples. Both physical and mental stress triggers for the release of chemicals and hormones that produces toxins which in turn causes pimples.

Excessive Sweating - the excess sweats that do not evaporate will obstruct the tiny pores which will cause the pimples. In addition, a greasy cosmetic that clogs within the skin pores also aggravate pimples.

While there is a number of pimple causes, there is an even greater ways on how to get rid of a pimple overnight. The following are useful tips that will relieve your of your worries. You can choose the best remedy that fits your skin type.

Water - the most practical way on how to get rid of a pimple overnight is to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day. It is not only good for the skin but for your overall health. Water detoxifies the bacteria out from your body. These bacteria causes disease and at some point pimples.

Wash your face regularly - washing your face with water at least twice a day helps in keeping the pimples from growing in your face. Yet, you should not wash your face more than what is required since it has natural oils that your skin needs. Over washing of face can also lead to dry and scaly skin.

Also, for people who want the best way on how to get rid of a pimple overnight, it is recommended that the face is washed with some mild facial cleanser combined with salicylic acid. The process will help skin in removing dirt and excess oil.

Use Ice and Toothpaste - this is one of the best way on how to get rid of a pimple overnight. You simply need to damp it on the pimple for at least two minutes. Use a clean soft cloth in doing this process and then apply toothpaste and leave it for the rest of the night. The following day, you will notice that your simple process on how to get rid of a pimple overnight had been successful.

Do not touch - frequent touching of pimples can cause danger of infection. The bacteria within your hand after touching surfaces that has bacteria can cause further damage in your pimples which may lead to other complications. Also, taking your pimples in contact with your hair, clothing, pillowcases, and even your hair. Thus, it is always best that you keep things that come into contact with your face and pimples clean at all times.

Let It Breathe - your skin will require a breather on a regular basis. You don't a constant medication when a pimple comes out unless it's beginning to grow in numbers. Basically, it heals itself naturally. Pimple products can contain harsh ingredients that can possible harm your skin especially the face. The products are designed to treat pimple problems, yet it does not considers the overall skin health.

While at home, there are certain homemade processes recommended on how to get rid a pimple overnight. It includes the following:

Use Vegetable and Fruits - Mix a lemon juice with rose water. Apply the mixture in your face and leave it for thirty minutes before rinsing with cold water. This is one of the best processes on how to get rid of a pimple overnight. Plus, it also makes the skin lighter thus removing the scar caused by the pimple.

Fruit Leaves, Peels, Etc. - gently rub the leaves of strawberry on the pimple. This process reduces the swelling and redness of the pimple which proved to be one of the best ways on how to get rid of a pimple overnight. Also you can use orange peel, just mash it to make the texture pasty, and then mix it water. Apply the mixture on the infected area then wash it water after.

While garlic has a bad smell, you will need it to get rid of a pimple overnight. Just crush the garlic and apply it on the infected area. After a repeated process you will then notice a smooth skin relieved from pimples overnight.

The above remedies are practically natural and homemade. There are however ways on how to get rid of a pimple overnight that uses chemical solutions and mixtures which are often prescribed by doctors and can be bought over the counter on drugstores. It includes the following:

Exfoliating masques and cleansers - come in a variety of exfoliants, mild scrubs, and masks which contains salicylic acid. Meanwhile, products that has alpha hydroxyl and glycolic are also good skin exfoliants.

Topical Applications - the product are creams, gels, and lotion in form that are directly applied to the infected area. You can buy these topical applications which have resorcinol, sulfur, and benzoyl peroxide as ingredients.

Generally, treatment of pimples not only cures the person skin disorder. It also helps in the improvement of the personality of a person who had been infected with the skin problem. It helps the person regain self-esteem and introduces himself back to his environment. No one needs to hide when there is a number of ways on how to get rid of a pimple overnight.

Find more great information on the many ways of how to get rid of a pimple overnight [http://www.howtogetridofapimpleovernight.co]. Nobody likes pimples, so let's all learn how to get rid of a pimple fast using these tested methods. New treatments, old remedies and everything in between. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Travis_Towers/1261397

Acne plagues thousands of people around the world. From teenagers
to adults on the wrong side of middle age, it is a skin disorder that
is extremely common as well as very unpleasant. It is painful,
distressing, and often leaves scars even after it is treated.

There
are hundreds of skin-care products that claim to treat acne. Finding
the right treatment for you is almost like finding a needle in a
haystack. To make things a little easier for you, here is a
comprehensive review of five of the best acne treatment solutions as per
popular ratings.

The reviews are accurate, based on substantiate
research, and are aimed at helping you make a healthy and informed
choice. The five products being reviewed here are Murad Acne Complex,
Proactive Acne Solutions, Clinique Acne Solutions, Clear Skin Max and
Exposed Skin Care.

Murad Acne Complex

The
Murad Acne Complex consists of a three-step process, which consists of a
Clarifying Cleanser, an Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel, and lastly a
Skin Perfecting Moisturizer. It was developed by Howard Murad and has
been a popular product for treating acne breakouts.

The product
has yielded mixed reviews from viewer ratings and is different from most
other acne treatment products in the sense that it does not contain
benzoyl peroxide, which is a leading ingredient used in most acne
treatments.

The product claims to remove all signs of acne in just
4 weeks. While this is not exactly accurate, results are often visible
within the second month, depending on the severity of the condition.

Pros

While
the purging period does see some aggravation of the condition, the
product pulls through and actually gives visible results. The
moisturizer smells pleasant and does not stick. The Pore Cleansing mask
that the treatment comes with is quite helpful and has a lot of positive
reviews.

It uses a lot of natural extracts such as bitter orange
oil, tea tree extracts, camellia leaf extract, menthol along with known
acne fighters such as salicylic acid that help in curing acne without
causing much damage to the skin. Spot sulfur treatment that it includes
has also given positive results among a large number of users.

Cons

The
purging period is extremely painful and itchy. The acne increases
considerably before it is healed, if at all. Moreover, the product does
not work for all skin types, and the moisturizer is not enough to help
soothe the roughness and pain. Reviews have revealed that the system
leaves the skin oily and shinier and that acne takes a lot of time to
heal, especially if it is in its moderate or severe phase.

Verdict

The
Murad Acne Complex might or might not work for you. It has mixed user
ratings and though it can be helpful for minor to moderate acne, it has
reportedly shown less impressive results for severe cases of acne.
However it might work if you have oily skin.

Proactive Acne Solution

Proactive
Acne Solutions is an extremely popular, three-step acne treatment
system that consist of cleansing, toning and acne repairing. A new
product that Proactive recently added to its acne treatment list is a
Refining Mask.

The product was first manufactured in 1988 by
Guthy-Renker, and has been a popular treatment since. According to the
instructions, only a dime sized amount of cleaner, a cotton ball of
toner and a pea sized amount of repairing treatment is to be used twice
daily for the system to work.

Pros

The system
covers blackheads, pimples, whiteheads and cures immediate acne
breakouts. It reduces the visibility of pores and leaves the skin
fragrant. It works well for some and leaves skin soft and supple, if the
instructions are followed exactly as given.

The Refining Mask is
very useful for drying up pimples since it consists of sulfur as an
active ingredient, which is known to effectively kill acne causing
surface bacteria. A Tea tree Moisturizer is also available as part of
the kit and should definitely be used along with the system which is
known to leave skin soft and dry.

Cons

The products
are extremely harsh and may not yield good results, even aggravate the
condition sometimes. The treatment causes excessive drying of the skin,
and skin peeling has also been reported, though the exact cause of the
peeling could not be determined.

Proactive is expensive, and often
does not yield positive results, sometimes even after 8 weeks of
regular usage. It is also not recommended for dry to normal skin at all
since it completely dries out the skin and leaves it reddened and
irritated.

Verdict

All in all, even though
Proactive might work for some, most users have reported negative
results, with no improvement in the condition whatsoever. Despite this,
it continues to be a popular product. You can try it for the sheer
popularity of the product.

Clinique Acne Solutions

Clinique
is a well known brand and has allergy tested and medically approved
skin care products that are very effective in treating skin problems.
Clinique Acne Solutions Skin Care Treatment uses gentle exfoliation and
cleansing to unclog the clogged pores of your skin to reduce the dirt
build up which causes acne. It is gentle on the skin, and does not
contain any oily or smelly substances that could affect the skin
negatively.

Pros

It uses salicylic acid as its main
ingredient for acne treatment, which is popular for its anti-acne
properties. The system consists of a cleanser, a gentle exfoliator and a
lotion, which contains benzoyl peroxide.

It clears acne by
reducing oil secretion and improves the complexion with repeated use.
The supplementary skin care products that Clinique offers are helpful in
reducing blemishes and scars left by acne. "Even Better" is one such
product that specializes in treating acne.

The company also has
spot treatment products that zap away almost all the pimples in the
shortest possible time. The product claims to remove acne in 6 weeks,
and leave skin softer and clearer.

Cons

6 weeks is a
longer period than that is promised by most acne treatment solutions.
Most treatments claim to yield results within the first month of usage.
There is no clear list of all anti acne ingredients used in this product
since no official description or list is provided.

It is good for
curing sudden breakouts but does not hold out well in the long run.
Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are both not enough to treat acne in
its core and there are no other primary anti acne agents, natural or
otherwise in the system.

Verdict

The product sells
on its brand name however does not live up to expectations. The product
website does not give any detailed description of the anti-acne
treatment, or about the ingredients that are used for making it.

There
are variety of other products in the market that might offer better
results at lower prices and are all-natural. While Clinique works to
remove a pimple here and a zit there, it fails to target the core
problem of acne break outs. It can be used as an effective immediate
spot treatment solution though.

Clear Skin Max

A
relatively new member of the anti acne treatment family, Clear Skin Max
is still proving its mettle in the skin care industry. Till now it has
had some very positive reviews due to its new and all natural approach
towards fighting acne.

Clear Skin Max was designed as an
alternative for those who did not want to subject their already damaged
skin to further chemical damage. It uses natural ingredients that help
in reducing inflammation, acne, and irritation without causing any side
effects or without excessive drying of the skin.

Pros

Since
the skin is naturally sensitive and acne inflicted skin gets further
damaged with chemical treatment, products with natural ingredients are
always a plus. Clear Skin Max uses anti-acne tea tree oils to control
acne which have been reported to show immediate results in reducing
inflammation.

Chamomile oil and bladder wrack are also used to
treat acne without causing any harm to the skin. Not only does the
product treat acne but it also leaves skin softer. Better still, it does
not contain any harsh chemicals that cause drying of the skin.

Chamomile
oil is effective in reducing scars and blemishes left by acne and since
it is also an anti-bacterial agent, it also prevents acne naturally by
fighting bacteria. Another plus point of the system is that it contains
bladder wrack which is known not only for its anti-acne properties but
also because it restores elasticity to the skin, helping the skin remain
youthful and smooth.

It also uses natural products like
hyaluronic acid, which is a known youth restorative, jojoba oil and
others that maintains the moisture levels of the skin. These natural
extracts not only fight acne but also strengthen the skin from inside
and thus prevent breakouts, apart from clearing the skin of acne and its
scars.

Cons

The ingredients are not used in high
quantities in the product, which sometimes may not be enough to treat
acne. Severe acne might not be easily treated with natural ingredients,
since they require stronger ingredients that directly aim at reducing
acne.

Even though the 6-step system is designed to fight and
destroy acne right from its roots, it will really take a long time to
heal for those who suffer from severe cases of acne. The negative aspect
of this point again depends on how patient the user is even though the
product yields guaranteed results.

Verdict

Clear
Skin Max is a complete product that not only helps fight acne but also
helps to protect and strengthen the skin. It is great for mild to
moderate acne as well as adult acne and has been reported to have
minimal side effects. It uses natural ingredients that have no reported
side effects and the product enjoys great reviews by most users.

Exposed Skin Care Acne Treatment

This
acne treatment system consists of 6 different products, a facial
cleanser, that cleanses and exfoliates the skin, a clearing tonic that
claims to delve deep inside the clogged skin pores and opens them up so
that the dirt and grime can escape.

Then there is the Acne
treatment Serum, which is the main repairing product that consists of
benzoyl peroxide, a well-known anti acne element. A Clear Pore serum
also comes with the system and is to be used at night; it works
nocturnally to unclog your pores and clear skin. The last two products
consist of a Clarifying mask which is to be used twice a week at most,
and a Microderm scrub, that has anti oxidants for deep pore exfoliation.

Pros

It
uses Azelaic acid, a known anti bacterial component as its primary
ingredient, which clears acne by killing bacteria which is the main
cause of acne. It also contains a 3.5% concentration of benzoyl acid,
which is a popular ingredient in several anti-acne treatments.

It
deeply exfoliates skin to keep out all the unwanted oil and dirt from
the pores. This enhances your skin and helps to keep it free from acne.

Cons

Azelaic
acid has many known side effects such as skin irritation, and unwanted
hair growth. Many users have reported an increase in the quantity of
facial hair after repeated use of products containing high
concentrations of azelaic acid.

Also, the product lists tea tree
oil as one of the leading ingredients, which can only be considered as a
subsidiary product since it only aids treatment without playing any
substantial role in the actual process.

The 3.5% benzoyl peroxide
concentration is not enough to fight acne, the standard requirement
being 5% to 8% concentration. Severe cases of acne cannot be treated
well with this range of products.

Moreover the customer service is
reportedly unresponsive, thus you might face a problem if you choose to
pursue the money back guarantee at all.

Verdict

In
conclusion, it can be said that this is a good product to use for those
with mild acne but it does not work well for treating severe acne.
Moreover many other products are available in the market that uses
natural ingredients. Organic products are always a better option. This
is another product that can be used to treat mild acne.

However
keep in mind that treating acne requires not just medication but also a
healthy lifestyle. Proper diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, hydration
and hygiene are extremely important for a clear and healthy skin.

Medications
can only work when coupled with a healthy lifestyle. So if you are
plagued with acne, first, change your lifestyle, and then clear your
acne with the help of the perfect product for you, which you can pick
with the help of these reviews.

My name is Sunil Visvambaram. I'm currently doing a research on natural adult acne treatments
and writing articles on my findings. Acne is a skin disorder condition
that affects almost any part of your body. But it primarily affects on
your face. This has become a serious issue that many actually overlook.
In fact, it affects more than 17 million adults in the US alone! If you
let your acne unattended, it can really turn out to become a severe
condition which needs medical attention. Please visit my website http://adultacnetreatmentreviews.com for more information on how to prevent, manage and cure your acne permanently.(c) Copyright - Sunil Visvambaram. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

It's human tendency to pinpoint only your flaws, without
appreciating the positive aspects of yourself. Even when you try to lose
weight, you are only reminded of all the incidents where you'd broken
your exercise and diet regime. On the contrary, to continue with the
weight loss endeavor, you need to constantly motivate yourself.

The best motivation to lose weight is to write all the positive things
you have done in the past few days/weeks or at least, list out all
positive aspects of yourself. Once you have listed out all these things,
you need to keep constantly reminding yourself about them. This may
first take some time, however once you start to do it, it becomes second
nature to you.

Many a time, you may find that you just don't seem to reach a goal
within the time gap you had stipulated. Instead of belittling yourself
and saying you will never reach the goal, you need to concentrate on the
fact that the goal is still within reach. You just need some
perseverance and patience, and motivation to move ahead and strive to
reach it.

You need to concentrate, and remind yourself about how far you have
reached so far, and how much you have accomplished so far. These are
positive thoughts which are much better and more effective than filling
your mind worrying about how much further you need to go.

Sometimes work commitments, fatigue or just time mismanagement may lead
to your missing a workout or two. If you start worrying about these
missed workouts, it only creates stress in the body and you may find it
difficult to continue with your workout. Instead, you need to stop
worrying and excuse yourself as mistakes do happen. Then just go back
and continue your workout with added vigor and excitement.

There will be days when you seem to lose interest in your weight loss
efforts. You feel that there's no point in working out so much, and
doing so much of dieting, sacrificing your favorite foods.

You feel it's all a waste of time and of no use. This is
when you need motivation to lose weight tips reminding yourself that all
this is worthwhile in the end. You need to remind yourself of the
healthy and improved body you will end up with once you accomplish your
weight loss goals.

Remind yourself that all the exercise and workout you do will not only
help you lose weight, but also helps improve your health and fitness
levels. This in turn lets you live a longer and more enjoyable life.

If you are on the obese side, you usually feel shy to even go out into
society. You may find it difficult attending school and classes as
people tease or laugh at you. You also feel disheartened as you can't
wear or find clothes yourself.

This is when you need to remind yourself that it is only
through exercise and dieting that you can wear what you want, and go
where you want. Keep reminding yourself that exercise also offers
psychological benefits to the body. It helps renew your body's
confidence levels so that you find it much easier facing society.
With
all this motivation to lose weight, you will find it much easier
maintaining your healthy exercise and dieting regime to steadily but
surely lose weight.

Many times you hear "natural" and automatically think it is safe.
However, make sure to do your research when planning to take any kind
of natural dietary supplement. Even when a dietary supplement says it is
"natural" or "organic", they can have adverse effects, both alone and
when mixed with other medications and supplements.

Most of the
time when someone is speaking of natural dietary supplements, they are
speaking of herbs and botanicals. These natural dietary supplements
contain active ingredients or extracts from many things in nature, like
roots, seeds, leaves, flowers, berries, buds and stems. Some of these
natural dietary supplements are well known, like garlic and ginseng.
Other types of natural dietary supplements are out of the mainstream and
you probably have never heard of!

Some common supplements that are well known are:

Cranberry

Garlic

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginseng

St. John's Wort

Grape Seed

Echinacea

Green Tea

With
the above mentioned natural dietary supplements, there are studies
showing that they do benefit our health in some way. Some of those
benefits are:

Cranberry - Cranberries can be eaten or
cranberry juice ingested to get the health benefits, or you can take
capsules of this natural dietary supplement. Cranberry has been shown to
help keep your urinary tract healthy while also helping to prevent and
treat UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections). Even with large amounts ingested,
no serious side effects were noted.

Ginkgo Biloba - This
natural dietary supplement comes from the leaf extract from the Ginkgo
tree. This substance has been used medicinally for about 4000 years by
the Chinese! The health benefits attributed to this natural dietary
supplement are:

a. Increased blood flow to the brain - this may improve cognitive functioning.

b. Memory enhancement.

c. Helps with athersclerosis in the calf muscle blood vessel. This may help reduce pain when you are walking.
No serious side effects have been noted with Ginkgo Biloba.

Echinacea
- Sometimes called purple coneflower or snakeroot, this natural dietary
supplement comes from a prairie flower from central North America.
Echinacea has been shown to help boost and stimulate the immune system.

Garlic
- Fresh whole garlic has been used for thousands of years in many
different ways. In the past, this natural dietary supplement has been
used for things such as treatment of tumors, fatigue, wounds, headaches
and a wide variety of other ailments. When looking at the uses of
garlic, the health benefits which are associated with it are:

d. The reduction of HBP (High Blood Pressure)

e. Helps alleviate blood clotting disorders

f. Reduces LDL-cholesterol levels

Green Tea
- As the second highest consumed beverage in the world (after water),
green tea is used across the globe for medical reasons. Green tea has
been shown to contain antioxidants called polyphenols. With regular
consumption, this natural dietary supplement can have the following
benefits:

g. Helps boost and stimulate the immune system.

h. Helps those trying to lose weight.

i. May help protect the body from some kinds of cancer.

j. May lower cholesterol levels.

k. Can decrease blood clotting.

The
health benefits can be great when you use natural dietary supplements,
but it is best to consult with your doctor if you are on any
medications, drugs or under going other medical treatments, as an
adverse reaction or negative side effect can occur.

Dietary supplements can include vitamins, minerals, herbals,
botanicals, amino acids, and enzymes. Dietary supplements are products
that people add to their diets. Dietary supplements can't replicate all
of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods, such as fruits and
vegetables. Dietary supplements come in the form of pills, capsules,
powders, gel tabs, extracts, or liquids.

Supplement

A
dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that contains a "dietary
ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. To take a supplement as
safely as possible Tell your doctor about any dietary supplements you
use do not take a bigger dose than the label recommends. Stop taking it
if you have side effects Read trustworthy information about the
supplement National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Some dietary supplements may help some people get enough essential
nutrients to improve their diets and be in their best health.

Vitamins

Vitamins
and minerals are substances your body needs in small but steady amounts
for normal growth, function and health. Vitamins and dietary
supplements work only when properly dissolved and absorbed.

Vitamins
act as powerful preventative measures against disease and the aging
process, not to mention their critical function for healthy living. A
dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional
supplement, is a preparation intended to supply nutrients, such as
vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids that are missing or are
not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet. Liquid vitamins
provide a sound alternative to multivitamin pills. They constitute a
new approach to delivery of nutrients, in addition to classic pills and
less conventional liquid vitamins. So you need a fresh supply of these
vitamins every day.

People often use vitamins and minerals to
supplement diet and treat disease. The "dietary ingredients" in dietary
supplements may include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids as
well as substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, metabolites, extracts
or concentrates. Fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins are
the two basic forms of vitamins required by every human body. Nutrients
are the substances the body needs to function--about 45 different
elements and compounds according to some professionals--including
vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other chemicals. If you're a
vegetarian, you may not consume enough calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins
B-12 and D.

Healthy

If you're generally
healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, legumes, lean meats and fish, you likely don't need
dietary supplements. However, if you can't or don't eat enough healthy
foods, or can't or don't eat a variety of healthy foods, you may need a
daily dietary supplement.

Taking vitamins does not make up for an
unhealthy diet, and vitamins are an insufficient substitute for
nutrients from fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but a general
multivitamin and mineral supplement can be a good safeguard. Do not
assume that because a product claims to support or promote healthy body
function that it prevents or reduces the risk of any disease, including
cancer. Don't rely on supplements to make up for an unhealthy diet.
This is because many people have turned to dietary supplement in order
to fill the gaps that arise due to unhealthy diet.

Benefits

Scientists
use several approaches to evaluate dietary supplements for their
potential health benefits and safety risks, including their history of
use and laboratory studies using cell or animal models. A few
individual dietary supplements have been shown to have positive benefits
for your health too.

Eating

To achieve
your personal best requires a balanced eating plan and a consistent
physical activity program. But eating healthy foods is the best way to
get the nutrients you need.

Dietary supplements are widely
available in the United States in health food stores, grocery stores,
pharmacies, on the Internet, and by mail. At this time, supplement
manufacturers must meet the requirements of the FDA's Good Manufacturing
Practices (GMPs) for foods. Dietary supplements can help us lead
healthier, longer lives, but only if taken properly. You should not use
the information contained on this site for diagnosing or treating a
health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication.

The best way to promote Vemma or any other business opportunity
is by effective internet marketing. I have searched for a home based
business opportunity that would fill those needs. Vemma has since
inspired me to not only start a lucrative home based business but also
prompted me to focus on myself, my diet, health and life style. So if
you would like to learn more about building a real business on the
internet and stop wasting your time and money. Then by all means comes
see me at [http://vemmabusinessopportunitys.com]BeautyWeightLoss
provides useful information on products, programs and tools to help you
to lose weight effectively and safely. We'll provide you with REAL facts
and suggest some safe, successful products that have been tried and
tested by people like you.

Wade McCraney is very passionate writing
about weight loss programs! Visit [http://www.beautyweightloss.com] for
advice, recommendations and the latest news on all things related to
weight loss programs.

"Indian saffron" turmeric is a peppery, bitter, and mildly
fragrance spice that comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant. It
has a tough brown skin with orange flesh, and is best known as of the
ingredients in mustard and curry. Curcumin on the other hand is a
pharmacological agent with strong anti-inflammatory effects and
antioxidants found in turmeric. Thus, as a medicinal alternative it is
often called turmeric curcumin.

Aside from being a "golden spice"
and adding flavors to dishes, turmeric is also considered as one of the
world's healthiest foods because of its many uses and health benefits.
In fact, it has long been used as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat
conditions like bruises, menstrual difficulties, flatulence, bloody
urine, hemorrhage, toothache, chest pain, colic and jaundice in the
Chinese and Indian ayuverdic medicine.

In several quality studies,
the effectiveness of curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties is
comparable to over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines,
phenylbutazone and hydrocortisone. It's even better since unlike the
synthetic medications which have significant toxic effects in the body
after long term use, turmeric curcumin capsules and herbs are safer
since it is natural.

Amazing health benefits

Supports arthritis. Clinical researches show that turmeric's
combination of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects is important in
diseases like arthritis as it neutralize free radicals that damage
healthy cells and causes painful joint inflammation. As a result, joint
swelling and morning stiffness is reduced not to mention that walking
time is lengthened.

Helps lower cholesterol. Turmeric pills' potential effect in
lowering cholesterol is shown in scientific studies wherein curcumin
increase the production of certain proteins to decrease bad cholesterol
from the body.

Support healthy liver functions. A recent study suggests that turmeric may help increase liver detoxification because of its potent antioxidant properties.

Beneficial for cystic fibrosis sufferers. In a study published
in April 2004, researchers found that turmeric curcumin capsules or
powder can inhibit the release of calcium and help stop the
chloride-driven build up of mucus.

Improved brain functions. Curcumin may help increase levels of
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) which can improve memory, as
well as delay age-related decrease in brain functions or brain diseases.

A safe anti-inflammatory remedy. Numerous studies already show
the potent anti-inflammation properties of turmeric which is even more
effective and safe than synthetic pain or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Reduce the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. Oxidative damage
and inflammation are one of the damaging factors in Alzheimer's
disease, and since curcumin is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, it
can have beneficial effects on both. Studies show that turmeric
curcumin can slow down or help reverse the progression of the disease as
it helps clear the buildup of protein tangles called Amyloid plaques.

Syba Naturals is a family run business that provides high-quality
supplements and natural health products for people who care about
maintaining optimal physical and mental health.

Every bottle of
the Syba Natural's Superior 650mg Turmeric Curcumin Supplement are
manufactured in the United States in an FDA registered, GMP Certified
Laboratory with no animal testing. It contains no binders, additives,
fillers, or preservatives. These manufacturing procedures combined with
using the highest-quality natural ingredients on the market to assure
that individuals obtain both value and quality in each product.

Oprah
Winfrey is a billionaire. She runs many businesses. She manages
hundreds of people. She has hosted a daily talk show since 1986. And she
is a well respected role model and inspiration to millions. Over the
years we've all witnessed Oprah's painfully public weight battles. Yet
by almost every measure she is more disciplined and more accomplished
than most of us even dream of becoming.

If, as many people think,
being overweight is simply a lack of discipline, then how can Oprah be
overweight?

It's not possible. Reaching Oprah's level of success
requires almost unimaginable levels of discipline and dedication, yet
even she finds it hard to maintain her weight. This is the Oprah
Paradox.

I have to think Oprah has thoughts like this in her own
mind. She has to wonder with all that she has accomplished, why can't
she keep the weight off. Perhaps you have the same thoughts about
yourself too. But please consider this...

People who run billion
dollar corporations are overweight. People who run countries are
overweight. People who make revolutionary scientific discoveries are
overweight. People who create and carry out the most intricate plans are
overweight. Are all these people suddenly weak when it comes to food?

Let's
take a look at your life. Do you get up and go to work? Are you
competent at your job? Did you make it through school? Have you
experienced and overcome tragedy in your life? Do you manage a mortgage
or rent? Are you raising a family? Are your kids clothed, fed and going
to school? Are you saving a little for retirement? Have you maintained a
long term relationship? Did you stop yourself from hitting that jerk
who cut in front of you in the grocery line the other day?

You
probably answered "yes" to at least a few of these questions. So, if you
look at your life you will find overwhelming evidence that you are a
capable and competent person. Although you may not be perfect, all the
stuff you do in your life is actually quite remarkable. Think about this
a bit. Don't take it for granted.

Think about all your amazing
abilities and accomplishments.

You don't sound like a weak person
to me. Just the opposite. Yet we are supposed to accept that in the area
of food, people suddenly break down and turn into incompetent
weak-willed wretches who couldn't put a fork down to save their lives. I
don't think so.

There must be more to overeating than weakness.
Think how amazingly disciplined, strong, and capable you are in most
every other aspect of your life. The fact that you have problems with
food means that deeper issues must hide under the surface. The fact that
the majority of people in the world will have weight problems points to
a deeper problem than mere human weakness. Being overweight is not
easily explained as simply a breakdown in willpower or discipline.

So
please keep the following ideas in the back of your mind as you read
on: maybe, just maybe, discipline and willpower aren't the real issues
behind being overweight; maybe, just maybe, something deeper and more
profound is going on and once you understand what that is you can start
controlling your weight.

Just Eat Less and Exercise More-Gee, Thanks

Thin
people often used to tell me, in that tone thin people have when they
are about to reveal the secret of losing weight, "Hey, just eat less and
exercise more. It's that simple."

Gee, how helpful. I've never
thought of that. Thanks for sharing. Losing weight has never been just
that simple for me! Has it ever been that simple for you? I didn't think
so.

On the surface, that old favorite recipe of "eat less and
exercise more" can't be argued against. If you can "eat less and
exercise more" you will lose weight. But there's more to the story.

A
thin person telling you to "eat less and exercise more" is a lot like
world class sprinters telling you to just "run faster" if you want to be
like them. You see, Olympic sprinters have more fast-twitch muscle
fibers than your average person. These just happen to be the type of
muscle fibers you need to run faster. If you want to be a sprinter
having more fast-twitch fibers is a good plan. But you can't plan
it-your muscle fiber allowance is part of your genetic gift. It's
something you are born with.

Olympic sprinters work amazingly
hard, but they couldn't be world class if they didn't have the right
genes.

The same can be said for world class swimmers, weight lifters,
and marathon runners. Almost every sport has an optimal body type.

You
and I can become faster, but it's not likely we could we ever be world
class. But each of us could become as fast as it is possible for us to
become by working hard, by working smart, and by creating an encouraging
environment.

Now ask yourself this: what if being thin is like
being a world class sprinter? What if people who are naturally thin are
that way because their genes make it easier for them to eat less and
exercise more? If that were true, then we could figure out what caused
the genetically less gifted to have such a hard time eating less and
exercising more. And once we understood the causes of the problems we
could then figure out how to fix them.

That's exactly what this
book does. It explores the causes of why losing weight is so hard and
then uses that information to figure out how you can control your
weight. You may not be able to become a world class sprinter, but you
can learn how to be as lean and strong as possible, given who you are
and where you are in your life.

Society is Wrong About You

My
repeated weight loss failures made me doubt myself. I've had a few
accomplishments in my life. Nothing major, certainly not like Oprah, but
I am no slacker either. That probably describes most of us.

In
our search for someone to blame for our weight problems, many of us have
at one time or another fallen into the popular, yet wrong answer of
telling ourselves: I am weak. I am a bad person. If I was only stronger
and better and had more willpower, then I'd be thin.

This is what
society thinks about us overweight people. This is what we overweight
people are told over and over again. We are bad. We are weak. We are
unworthy.

Hogwash!

There's more to being overweight than personal weakness. After reading this book, you too will understand:
Society
is wrong about you. You are not weak. You are not bad. You are not
unworthy. You can lose weight once you really understand why Mother
Nature has purposefully made losing weight so hard for you. With this
knowledge, you can then create your personal plan for losing weight and
staying on your diet for the rest of your life.

Being Overweight is Not All Your Fault

Here
is a secret you probably already suspect and intuitively know down deep
in your heart: your hunger is real. Your hunger is not a figment of
your imagination and this means being overweight isn't entirely your
fault.
Recent research has shown obesity is not a failure of
character or willpower. Obesity grows from your biological drive to eat.
It's part of your nature as an individual, as a human being, and it's
also part of the nature of our modern world.

Hunger is a drive,
like breathing and other processes your body automatically performs for
you. It turns out you have less direct control over your own weight than
you think, because weight is controlled subconsciously through multiple
body, mind and environmental systems. Later in the book, we'll learn
more about all these possible dangers and how you can protect yourself
from them.

Yet even given your powerful biological derive to eat,
your willpower is much stronger than you think. And in fact, only a few
slip-ups a day may be the cause of most of your weight problems.

Your Willpower is Better Than You Think

People just assume
that because they are overweight their willpower must be horrible. You
might be surprised to learn your willpower is actually pretty good.

Consider
this: 200 extra calories a day, one lousy extra soda or candy bar a
day, can make you gain 20 pounds a year. Now imagine what happens when
slip-ups add up over the years. Obesity is what happens.

That's all it
takes to edge into obesity: just one slip-up a day.

Why do you
slip up? The threats. Threats are what I call the forces that cause you
to slip-up and sabotage your diet. Over sixty different threats are
covered in this book. With all the threats working against you, one
slip-up a day is very, very easy.

Some Common Threats to Your Diet

Here are just a few of the more interesting threats:

Obesity is about as genetically determined as your height. Most genetic contributions to obesity make you hungrier.

Weight loss triggers your body to gain all your weight back with a
vengeance. That's why 95% of people gain back all the weight they lose.

Junk food acts like a potent drug in your body.

You may be wired to feel more pleasure from food and become more easily addicted to food

Some people have more taste buds than average and these people are thinner than people with fewer taste buds!

You unconsciously eat a lot more when food is closer to you or when it's served from big containers.

You'll eat more even if the food tastes horrible!

You eat more from a bigger plate. Standard plates are now 50%
larger than they were in the past. Simply choose a smaller plate and
you'll eat less.

Sleeping too little doubles your obesity risk.

Exercise isn't a drive. You naturally want to rest. Yet some people are naturally more active and these people are thinner.

A highly contagious virus may cause some obesity. It was discovered at about the time obesity started rising.

Bacteria in your stomach may cause weight gain by more efficiently extracting calories from food.

Air conditioning may cause you to burn fewer calories because you
don't need to maintain your own body temperature. Air conditioning
became widespread about the time obesity started rising.

Threats like these constantly threaten to sabotage your
diet, making you fall off your diet time and time again. You are not
consciously aware of most of the threats, which makes them doubly
dangerous.

Understanding the threats will help you overcome common
misconceptions about controlling your weight that may be holding you
back.

We've always been told, for example, a calorie is a calorie,
so it doesn't matter what you eat. Not true. A calorie from trans fats
will turn to fat quicker than from other sources. A calorie from
fructose keeps you hungry so you eat more.

Another misconception
is all you need to.do is eat less. Not true. You can actually eat more
food with fewer calories and lose weight, if you know the secret behind
volumetric eating.

The equally common saying: all you need to do is exercise more, isn't right either. Food has more calories than exercise burns.

Some
well meaning people will tell you to just listen to your body, it knows
how much to eat.This may be true for some people, but for people prone
to obesity their body tells them to eat, eat, and eat some more.

Your
body wants you to eat so you can reproduce and survive. It's not at all
concerned about health consequences or how you look.

Neither do
you eat to make up for calories you've burned. You eat because food is
available and it tastes good. Your body isn't doing calculations like
"you just burned 100 calories walking up five flights of stairs so let's
eat an apple now to get those calories back."

And you don't
select foods based on the nutrients you need either. Your body tries to
make you eat a variety of foods so you'll get all the nutrients you
need.

Many people have a hard time understanding that it's hard
for you to lose weight because they think everyone is the same. Not so.
Your genetics, environment, and strengths and weaknesses are different
than anyone else. We may all look similar on the outside, but everyone
is different in so many ways. All these differences impact how easy or
hard it is for you to control your weight.

When I think of all the
threats and misconceptions, I am left with the feeling of amazement.
Who would have dreamed the world of weight loss was so bizarre? We
humans are more complicated than I ever imagined.

This means you can't
explain someone's obesity by saying they are lazy and have no willpower.
After reading about the threats, you'll probably think to yourself,
"Ah, that's why losing weight and staying on a diet are so hard!"

How Do You Defeat the Threats?

You defeat the threats using
the strategies presented in this book and by applying the Designer Way
principles. Strategies are how you overcome the threats. If you can find
ways of preventing slip-ups then you can control your weight. That's
what the strategies help you do, prevent the slip-ups caused by the
threats.

The principles are powerful ideas for helping you make the best
use of the strategies. We'll talk a lot more about threats, strategies,
and principles in later chapters.

Considering all the forces
trying to spin your diet out of control, you do a pretty job good of
controlling your weight. You really do. Don't be so surprised! But to do
even better, you can't depend on motivation.

Motivation is Not Enough

Some say you'll lose weight if you
are really motivated, no matter what. People do lose weight, so
motivation can work in the short run, but most people gain the weight
right back. Think about how many people, through motivation alone, will
never slip-up once in their entire life, once in a year, once in a week,
or even once a day? Answer honestly now.

Very few people can
sustain enough motivation to stay on a diet every waking moment of their
lives. That's not a knock on people. Very few people have the
motivation and discipline to become world class athletes either.

That's
why the strategies in this book do not assume constant motivation and
total control for success. You must learn how to control your weight
without depending on motivation. Motivation is not enough because of the
immense power food has over you.

Food is Different from Everything Else-Food Has Power

We've
talked about how people who show incredible discipline in every other
area of their life somehow fail when it comes to food. What makes food
so different?

Food is different for a reason that should be
obvious, but was still surprising to me: food is the most important
thing in your life, because food is essential to survival.

Get
lost in the woods for a few weeks and you won't worry about sex, your
stock portfolio, or how you look. You'll worry about food and how to get
more of it. Food is almost all you'll think about.

Tasty food
reaches deep into your brain and makes you want to eat with a real and
true hunger. Food has power. The unlimited quantities of fatty
high-calorie and sugary foods available in our modern world are a
constant threat to make us slip up and gain weight. If you are prone to
obesity, you will often find yourself eating more than you want and
exercising less than you think you should.

Eating isn't something
you decide to do. Eating is a powerful drive. Eating is raw survival and
your brain wants you to survive above all else.

The Problem: You May be Playing the Wrong Diet Game

For
a moment, let's think of your diet as a kind of game. What I have found
in my research is that you are probably playing the wrong diet game.
It's likely you are playing the lose weight game instead of the stay on a
diet game, while your body plays a completely different game called the
survival game.

Most People Won't Win the Lose Weight Game

Most
of us have been playing the lose weight game without much success. I
know that every time I lost weight it always found me again!

This
is why the lose weight game isn't the one you need to play. Up to 95% of
all dieters gain back every pound they lose. And 65% of all Americans
are overweight and the trend is up, especially for children.

You Need to Play the Stay on a Diet Game

A recent study showed
most diets are about equally effective at losing weight. The problem is
most people can't stay on their diet. Dieting is not enough as Dr.
James O. Hill, director for the Center for Human Nutrition said, "The
popular plans only help you with weight loss. They don't help you with
keeping it off, and that's where the real issue is."

Not playing
the stay on a diet game prevents you from maintaining your weight loss
goals. It is so hard because your body is playing the toughest game of
all: the survival game.

Your Body is Playing the Survival Game

Everything difficult
about controlling your weight makes complete sense once you understand
the life humans lived 25,000 years ago.

In our prosperous modern
world, survival is not the game most of us are playing, but your body
doesn't know that. Your body still drives you to eat like a famine might
lurk right around the corner-though it's far more likely there's a fast
food joint.

I had always thought of my drive to eat as something
unreal. I had always thought wanting to eat was just a figment of my
imagination, something I made up, like a bad dream. I had always thought
my drive to eat was a weakness of my own character, something I should
be able to overcome.

But what I learned in my research is that
eating has a real purpose other than making me fat. There's a bigger
picture I wasn't seeing. I had never truly understood the deeper purpose
of eating before.

Finding Food is Job #1 for Your Brain

We
humans are excellent at gaining weight. It takes a lot of training to
become a world class sprinter, yet most people can become overweight
with absolutely no training at all! It's a natural skill we have.

The
problem is, your rational mind isn't totally in charge of natural
skills. No one has a calorie calculator constantly running in their
head. After eating a handful of berries, you don't say, "I just consumed
100 calories, I need 1,900 more calories today or I'll starve." That's
not how it works. Your brain tells you you're hungry and then you eat.

You don't have "drink water" or "go to the bathroom" calculators either. These too are basic and ancient survival drives.

So,
the drive to eat isn't under your direct control. Can you imagine if it
was? Think about all the tasks you are supposed to remember to do. How
many times have you forgotten to take out the garbage, pay the bills, or
pick up a gallon of milk on the way home from work? Nothing really bad
happens if you forget any of these. Forgetting to eat means death.
That's why eating has to be a drive.

Your brain cleverly
anticipates what you need to do now, so you won't have problems in the
future. And your feelings of hunger are how you know what you're
supposed to do: eat. The number one job of your brain is to find food
and eat, so you can survive.

Mother Nature made us into highly
skilled weight gaining machines so we could survive a hostile world. She
developed dozens of ways to get you hungry enough that you'll get off
your butt and risk death to get enough food to eat. It's only after you
have enough food that you will survive long enough to make babies and
ensure your genes survive into another generation. Wise old Mother
Nature wants her children to reproduce and survive.

Scientific
research has found that we modern humans are in an epic struggle with
our ancient hunter-gatherer selves. We are losing an unconscious and
hidden war with our bodies. We are ancient, highly tuned survival
machines thrust into a modern world of plenty where every instinct
drives us to obesity. We simply don't fit the modern world.

This
mismatch happens because nowadays very little exercise is needed to earn
a living, and tasty, high-calorie food is available anywhere, anytime,
in unlimited quantities. Yet we are built to survive a world of scarcity
and high activity. How could the result be anything other than a
stunning rise of obesity throughout the world?

The ease with which
we currently survive in our modern Land of Plenty has had an
interesting effect: we no longer value our bodies' survival skills. We
now hate our survival super powers. When food is always available, it's
easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, thinking of food as
optional and our urges to eat a nuisance. But your brain doesn't listen.
It keeps paying attention to food, like it always has.

A short story might help understand the situation a little better...

The Land of Plenty-A Surprisingly True Tale

Once upon a time, Hero was told by a playful Genie that he would be
stranded on a desert island. The Genie would grant Hero one wish.

Hero's first wish was not to be stranded at all but the Genie said that was against the rules, so try again, smarty pants.

Then
Hero boldly wished to be genetically engineered to have the best chance
of surviving on the desert island. What genetic changes did the Genie
give Hero?

First, Hero was given the ability to efficiently store
fat. Your standard desert island doesn't have a lot of food available so
making the best use of limited food supplies is top priority. No
calorie can go to waste.

Second, Hero was given the ability to eat
as much food as became available for the rare times when generous food
supplies could be found. No food can go to waste.

Third, Hero was
given the ability to just rest and relax until work became necessary.
There's no reason to burn precious calories for nothing.

The Genie
was very generous. There's no limit to the weight Hero can gain. Hero's
fat cells can bank as many calories as are available for later
withdrawal when food becomes scarce.

Does this sound like a useful
set of genetic mutations? It should. Hero has an excellent chance of
surviving under very difficult conditions. What more could you want?

How about rescue...

After
many successful years of survival a miracle happened-Hero was rescued
and taken to the legendary Land of Plenty. There, delicious foods are
free for the taking and are available everywhere you look.

What
happened to Hero in the Land of Plenty? Hero gained more and more
weight. All the genetic changes that helped Hero survive on the desert
island now worked against Hero in the Land of Plenty.

Sadly, the
people of the Land of Plenty looked down on Hero because they thought
Hero was lazy. Hero couldn't find a mate. And Hero's once excellent
health began to fail.

Hero tried telling people about the Genie
and how beautifully he'd survived on the desert island, but the people
in the Land of Plenty just laughed and turned away.

Hero tried
everything to lose weight but he was created for a different environment
and nothing worked for long. Then one fine day, he stumbled across a
book called Your Designer Diet. This book helped Hero so much! It
understood the problems he faced in the Land of Plenty. Using Your
Designer Diet, he was able to create an environment that helped him lose
weight and keep it off. Finally, Hero found a way of living in a world
he was never meant to live in.

As our tale draws to an end, please
consider this: until modern times, nearly everyone lived on a desert
island, now most of us live in the Land of Plenty.

What is really amazing is that even more
people aren't overweight given our modern toxic weight environment.
Earning a living now requires almost no exercise. Cheap, tasty,
high-caloric food is available everywhere in near unlimited quantities.

These
forces taken together are why we are seeing an epidemic of obesity and
are exactly why Oprah can be one of the most successful people on earth
and still have problems controlling her weight. And if Oprah can have
problems controlling her weight, it's not surprising that we can too.

Your Designer Diet [http://yourdesignerdiet.com] is a fresh
approach for weight control based on the idea of creating your own
perfect diet, a diet designed just for you. The world may not need
another diet book, but Your Designer Diet isn't your typical diet book.
It has a unique and hopeful approach. If you are tired of the same old
thing and the never-ending fads and scams, this book is for you.

Your
Designer Diet is different from other diet books in three major ways:
1) Teaches how to stay on a diet rather than what to eat, 2) Diet
threats are used to understand why staying on a diet is so hard, 3)
Positive skills, called strategies, are taught which you can apply
immediately to your daily life.

People still think staying on a
diet is all about willpower. It's not. My willpower is no stronger than
anyone else, yet I was able to lose over 100 pounds and keep it off. I
have faith that you can too.

If you're having trouble cutting calories, I've got a simple
solution. Eat more vegetables! You can start with one that's currently
in-season and locally grown: asparagus. With its short growing season
that begins in May and ends in June, asparagus is one of the first
vegetables to be harvested after winter. Well known for its bright
emerald green color and crisp stalks, it can be eaten in quiches, salads
and omelets or as a simple side dish. Quick-cooking waterless
preparation methods like roasting, grilling, and stir-frying will
preserve the fabulous nutritional content and antioxidant power of
asparagus.

Springtime is here and in honor of the new beginnings
that mark this season, enjoy some asparagus and get a jump on weight
loss. In this month's feature article, I will discuss the health
benefits of this delicious vegetable and provide you with additional
tips and an easy recipe.

HEALTH BENEFITS

1.
Asparagus is low in calories as long as you don't smother it with
high-fat cheese sauce or butter. Like other vegetables, it can help to
satisfy hunger while promoting a healthy weight. Six spears of asparagus
have just 19 calories and less than 0.2 grams of fat.

2. It's a
very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as
chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to
transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

3. Asparagus
ranks among the top vegetables for its ability to neutralize
cell-damaging free radicals. It is packed with antioxidants like
glutathione and rutin which may help slow the aging process.

4. It
contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine which serves as a
natural diuretic - increasing urination. This can be especially
beneficial for people who experience fluid retention and for those who
have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.

5.
Asparagus contains a truly unique combination of anti-inflammatory
nutrients including saponins and flavonoids like quercetin, rutin,
kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Chronic inflammation is considered a risk
factor for many diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and
cancer. Asparagus can help by supporting the production of
anti-inflammatory immune compounds and lessening inflammation in the
body.

SELECTION TIP

It's a common
misconception that the thin spears are young shoots and therefore more
tender. Actually, the long, thick dark green glossy spears with tightly
closed heads are the best quality.

PREPARATION TIP

If
your recipe calls for cooked cold asparagus, plunge the stalks into
cold water immediately after cooking and then remove them quickly.
Letting them soak too long can cause them to become soggy.

RECIPE

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

Roasting preserves the flavor and color of asparagus without making it tough or stringy
MAKES 4 (4 oz.) SERVINGS

Asparagus,
like all vegetables, support health and weight control. If you're
looking for a simple yet powerful action you can take to improve the
quality of your diet and help you lose weight, eat more vegetables; at
least 2 - 3 cups per day for good health.

Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD, is a food and nutrition
expert specializing in weight management. She is committed to empowering
people through education, support, and inspiration to make real changes
that lead to optimal health and lasting weight loss. Sign up for her
Free Consultation and receive expert advice on how to lose 20 lb. - or
more. Jump Start your weight loss today! http://njnutritionist.com/freeconsult